Francis “Frank” Peter DeVincentis, of Durant, Okla., departed this earthly realm and entered his heavenly abode on July 12, 2025 at the age of 86. Frank was born in the Charlestown section of Boston, Mass., to Vincent DeVincentis and Mafalda Louise DeVincentis on March 25, 1939. Frank’s father Vin was a draftsman for various government projects and the family moved to brief stops in Mississippi and Richland, Wash. Richland is where Frank, the city boy from Boston, acquired his love for horses. Frank owned, rode, trained, showed and even bred horses right up to the year before his passing.
The family eventually moved back to the south shore of Boston and settled in Scituate where Frank graduated high school in 1957. Forever a Boston sports fan, Frank’s hero was Ted Williams. Frank and his cousin Tony Piraino even attended Ted’s last game at Fenway Park where the “Splendid Splinter” hit a home run in his last at-bat. Frank’s love for sports flourished at Scituate where he played baseball, basketball and football along side his life-long best friend, Larry Schiner. Scituate won the baseball state championship in 1957 with Frank pitching the final game. That performance earned Frank a scholarship to Rollins College in Orlando, Fla. After a brief stay at Rollins, Frank was signed to a professional baseball contract. He played several years in the minor leagues, working his way to the big league spring training before a torn rotator cuff injury cut his career short. His love for sports never skipped a beat as he played football for Bridgewater State until he suffered a devastating knee injury.
Frank then began a career in television broadcasting that would eventually take him to every major city in the country. After graduating from Northeast Broadcasting School in the ‘60s, he began working at a small station WMTW in Poland Springs, Maine. Frank started in the business as most do. First, as a cameraman, then eventually working up to directing stationary subjects such news broadcasts and talk shows. He was hired by Channel 29 in Philadelphia in 1969 where he met his great friend Aldo Farnese (The voices of Adam Android, Professor Schnitzel and others). In 1973, the family moved from Pennsylvania to Franklinville, N.J. where Frank would become involved with little league, senior league and American Legion baseball. Frank coached many teams and players and helped with the 1980 Franklin-Elk Senior league team that played in the state championship game in Princeton, N.J. During his time in NJ, he was often seen on the sidelines of Delsea games.
But it was the excitement of live sporting events that drew attention. Frank’s knowledge and experience of sports led him to be a natural at the fast-paced, pressure packed, split second decisions required in televising such events. He rose through the ranks and was called up to the “Big Leagues” in the Philadelphia market working Phillies, Flyers and Sixers games for PRISM (Philadelphia Regional In-home Sports and Movies) cable network which launched in 1976. Frank’s work began to be noticed as he would often perform several jobs at once such as produce, direct and even perform his own camera switching at the control board. If you ever had the chance to see him operate during a live sporting event, with all the chaos of high speed professional sports, it was truly a mesmerizing and unforgettable experience. He always said, “you have but one chance to film a live event and if you don’t capture it, it’s gone forever and never took place.” Many colleagues expressed gratitude for the help and knowledge he conferred to them over the years. Frank’s work would be recognized with two Emmy awards for broadcasting live sporting events. Footage of Dr. J’s windmill dunk against the Lakers in the NBA Finals, captured by Frank and crew, became a staple of ABC’s Wide World of Sports opening credits.
After PRISM, Spectacor and the Flyers majority were sold to Comcast, Frank relocated to Florida. He traveled with the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning and directed hockey telecasts until retiring in 2004. Frank then moved with his wife Shelby to just outside Trinidad, Colo. where they had 35 acres with horses, dogs, chickens and an impressive vegetable garden. In 2021, Frank and Shelby moved to Durant, Okla. where he lived out his final days tinkering on his tractor, a project in his tool shed or watching the Red Sox games on TV.
Frank was preceded in death by his parents Vincent and Louise DeVincentis, and a grandson Ryan Perez.
He is survived by his wife, Shelby DeVincentis of Durant, Okla.; daughter, Brigitte DeVincentis of Spokane, Wash.; son, Nick DeVincentis and wife Rene Cantoni of Sherman, Texas; and son Vince DeVincentis of Bradenton, Fla.; granddaughters: Gabrielle Perez, Abigail Stroud (husband Peter), Lexi Whitworth (husband Chance) and grandson Trey Watson (wife Taylor); three great-grandchildren and one on the way. A private memorial will be held at a later date.
Services are under the care of Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home, 121 N. Fifth Ave. in Durant.
www.holmescoffeymurray.com